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Highmark Healthy High 5 School Challenge program awards $605,000 in grants to 75 Pennsylvania schools

PITTSBURGH (April 10, 2008)

The Highmark Foundation increases its commitment to schools by allocating additional funds for the program
The Highmark Foundation, through the Highmark Healthy High 5 School Challenge, recently awarded $605,000 in grants to 75 elementary, middle and high schools across Pennsylvania. The grants will support programs that address bullying prevention and self-esteem, improve nutrition education, enhance nutrition choices and provide opportunities for physical activity.

"Through the Highmark Healthy High 5 School Challenge, we have asked schools to help us help children," said Highmark Foundation President Yvonne Cook. "We know that schools play a vital role in the lives of children and adolescents and we are proud to provide them with the resources and tools that will improve the health status of their students."

Due to the overwhelming response received from schools, the board of the Highmark Foundation at its March 2008 meeting also approved an additional $1.5 million to be awarded through the Highmark Healthy High 5 School Challenge during the remainder of this year. Last year, the Foundation announced its intention to award a total of $1 million in grants through the School Challenge in 2008; however, the School Challenge now has the resources to award a total of $2.5 million this year.

Also new in 2008, the Highmark Healthy High 5 School Challenge expanded to award grants for programs that focus on bullying prevention and self-esteem. In past years, School Challenge grants were awarded only to physical activity and nutrition initiatives.

"We know that physical activity and nutrition programs are beneficial to helping children live longer, healthier lives," said Cook. "However, bullying is a serious issue in schools and we believe that it needs to be addressed. By supporting bullying prevention programs, we are working to improve the overall health, well-being and self-esteem of students."

Highmark Healthy High 5 School Challenge grants are awarded throughout the year. Schools are invited to apply for School Challenge grants by visiting the Highmark Healthy High 5 Web site at www.highmarkhealthyhigh5.org and clicking on "Grant Process for Schools," to download and complete the grant application.

The following schools received Highmark Healthy High 5 School Challenge grants in March 2008. For more information on the supported program at each school, visit www.highmarkhealthyhigh5.org and click on "Schools."

Adams County
Conewago Valley School District — Conewago Valley Intermediate School
Littlestown Area School District — Maple Avenue Middle School

Allegheny County
A.W. Beattie Career Center
Baldwin Whitehall School District — Baldwin High School
Bethel Park School District — Abraham Lincoln Elementary School
Bethel Park School District — Benjamin Franklin Elementary School
Bethel Park School District — Bethel Memorial Elementary
Bethel Park School District — George Washington Elementary School
Bethel Park School District — William Penn Elementary School
Fox Chapel Area School District — Hartwood Elementary School
Fox Chapel Area School District — Fox Chapel Area High School
Fox Chapel Area School District — O’Hara Elementary School
Hampton Township School District — Hampton Township Middle School
Montour School District — Burkett School
Montour School District — Ingram Elementary School
North Allegheny School District — North Allegheny Intermediate High School
Pittsburgh Public School District — Pittsburgh Colfax K-8
Riverview School District — Verner Elementary School
Shady Side AcademyShady Side Academy Junior School
Shady Side Academy Middle School
Sto-Rox School District — Sto-Rox Elementary School
Riverview School District — Tenth Street Elementary School
West Allegheny School District — Wilson Elementary School
West Mifflin Area School District — Clara Barton Elementary School

Beaver County
Hopewell Area School District — Hopewell High
Monaca School District — Monaca Junior-Senior High School
New Brighton School District — New Brighton High School

Butler County
Mars Area School District — Mars Area Centennial School

Cambria County
Blacklick Valley School District — Blacklick Valley Elementary Center
Conemaugh Valley School District — Conemaugh Valley Junior-Senior High School
Forest Hills School District — Forest Hills Elementary School
Northern Cambria School District — Northern Cambria Middle School

Columbia County
Blacklick Valley School District — Blacklick Valley Elementary Center
Conemaugh Valley School District — Conemaugh Valley Junior-Senior High School
Forest Hills School District — Forest Hills Elementary School
Northern Cambria School District — Northern Cambria Middle School

Crawford County
Penncrest School District — Maplewood Junior-Senior High School

Cumberland County
Cumberland Valley School District — Silver Spring Elementary School
East Pennsboro Area School District — East Pennsboro Elementary School
East Pennsboro Area School District — West Creek Hills Elementary School
Private Special Education Center — Yellow Breeches Educational Center (YBEC, Inc.)
South Middleton School District — Boiling Springs High School

Dauphin County
Diocese of Harrisburg — St. Joan of Arc Elementary School
Lower Dauphin School District — South Hanover Elementary School

Erie County
Flagship Transition School
Fort LeBoeuf School District — Mill Village Elementary School
Fort LeBoeuf School District — Robinson Elementary School
Fort LeBoeuf School District — Waterford Elementary School
Luther Memorial Learning Center
School District of the City of Erie — Glenwood Elementary School

Fayette County
Brownsville Area School District — Brownsville Area High School
Connellsville Area School District — Clifford N. Pritts Elementary School
Connellsville Area School District — Connellsville Junior High East
Connellsville Area School District — Connellsville Junior High West
Connellsville Area School District — Springfield Elementary School
Connellsville Area Senior High School
Laurel Highlands School District — Laurel Highlands Middle School
Laurel Highlands School District — Laurel Highlands High School

Juanita County
Juniata County School District — Walker Township Elementary School

Lancaster County
Lampeter-Strasburg School District — Lampeter-Strasburg High School

Lawrence County
Lawrence County Career and Technical Center

Lebanon County
Cornwall Lebanon School District — Cornwall Elementary School
Eastern Lebanon County School District — Jackson Elementary School

Lehigh County
Allentown School District — Elementary and Middle Schools
Salisbury Township School District — Harry S. Truman Elementary School

Montour County
Danville Area School District — Danville Area High School

Northampton County
Lehigh Valley Academy Regional Charter School

Schuylkill County
Schuylkill Technology Centers — North Campus

Somerset County
North Star School District — North Star East Elementary/Middle School
Shanksville-Stonycreek School District — Shanksville-Stonycreek

Washington County
Avella Area School District — Avella Elementary Center

York County
Southeastern School District — Fawn Grove Elementary
Southeastern School District — Delta Peach Bottom Elementary
Southeastern School District — Kenner-Dale High School
Southeastern School District — Southeastern Middle School East
Southeastern School District — Southeastern Middle School West
Southeastern School District — Stewartstown Elementary

About Highmark Healthy High 5
Highmark Healthy High 5 is a five-year, $100 million children’s health promotion initiative of the Highmark Foundation. The mission of the initiative is to improve the health of children and adolescents ages 6-18 by providing them with the tools and practices needed to make informed decisions about living healthier lives. Highmark Healthy High 5 addresses five critical children’s health promotion issues — nutrition, physical activity, self-esteem, grieving, and bullying prevention — by raising awareness, changing behavior through grants and programs, and providing resources to parents, schools and communities served by the Highmark Foundation.

Highmark Healthy High 5 is an initiative of the Highmark Foundation. For more information, visit www.highmarkhealthyhigh5.org or call 800-789-1726.

For more information, contact:
Kaitlin O'Brien
412-544-6006
kaitlin.obrien@highmark.com